Effective global responses to COVID-19 depend on local leadership as the 'critical convenor' and time is lost when national and local authorities are  ‘at odds with each other', according to international policy experts.

Special envoy for COVID-19 for the WHO director-general covering Europe and North America David Nabarro and former managing director of the Local Government Leadership Centre John Atkinson said that when this happens ‘the effectiveness of the response diminishes enabling the disease to strengthen its presence'.